Is It Possible To Spot Reduce?

I would like to tell you that you could. That if you do this or that you can pick an area -- your trouble spot -- and trim away the fat.

But you really can't do it -- at least not the way you would like to.

You can't spot reduce because your body lays down fat where it wants to lay down fat.

If you gain 20 pounds of fat you know where it will go -- right to your trouble spots.

If you have big hips it will go to your hips. If you are fat around the waist it will go to your waist.

But does that mean that all is lost? What should you do?

What about when you lose weight?

And when you lose weight -- same thing. It comes off where it wants to come off. If your hips are trouble, then the fat will tend to cling to your hips. If it's love handles, then the love handles are the last to go.

Fat accumulates based on hormones and genetics. Women tend to have more fat stored on their hips. Men tend to have more fat stored around their middle.

It affects your health that way too. Men have more heart attacks than women. But women who store fat around the waist -- like a man does -- are more likely to have heart attacks than women who store fat in their hips.

You can tone and tighten

So really you can't spot reduce. But you sure can tone and tighten what you have.

A belly with an inch or two of fat and no muscle is not going to look good. The internal organs are going to push out and it is just going to sag down and look bad.

But a belly with strong, hard abdominal muscles covered by an inch or two of fat is another thing. If your abs are strong you can hold your belly in. It won't sag.

You will have better posture. Your back won't hurt as much. And your clothes will fit better.